Stop DCFS From Profiting From Our Kids

"President Clinton challenged the states to double the number of adoptions and permanent placements in five years. DCFS exceeded the President's challenge in just one year and received the national Adoption 2002 Excellence Award for increasing the number of permanent placements from 2,229 in Fiscal Year 1997 to 5,422 in Fiscal Year 1998, including 4,293 adoptions and 1,129 subsidized guardianships"
     http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/library/com_communications_pr.shtml

"Illinois is home to the nation's first juvenile court, counts itself as the birthplace of social work (Jane Addams' Hull House), was among the first states to establish child protection laws, was an early signatory to laws mandating the reporting of child abuse and neglect, and created one of the nation's first statewide child abuse hotlines."

"The department%u2019s budget grew at double-digit percentage rates every year between fiscal year 1989 and fiscal year 1997"

"Samuels, 36, has been working vigorously at assessing the needs of the agency over the last two months while serving as chair of the Governor's DCFS task force. He will be paid $127,600 to serve as the agency's new director."

"concern about a child%u2019s well-being or a fear of being accused of failing to report may lead mandated reporters to %u201Cerr on the side of caution%u201D, reporting incidents that may not meet the definition of abuse or neglect"
     A child age 5, falls off their bicycle. The parent takes them to the hospital and their arm is broken. A pretty green cast is put on for their friends to sign. Parents are relieved that it was only a broken arm.
    It that the end of the story - Maybe 20 years ago but not now.
    The hospital and doctor are mandated reporters as classified by DCFS. They face loosing their licensing, funding, job and criminal charges if they don't report it.
    The child is pulled out of their educational classes and questioned about the incident. This is the start of the investigative process. The child is asked: Where were your parents, How long have you been riding your bike, how far away from home were you, were you with any other adult.
    Then the questions change: Did you parent push you, You know you shouldn't have been out alone, You can tell us, you won't get in any trouble. Do your parents let you ride alone a lot, Were you trying to run away, Were your parents fighting, Do you feel safe at home.
OK you know the drill.
    Then the parent gets an allegation as determined by DCFS (NOT THE DOCTOR). Inadequate Supervision, Delay of medical treatment (depends on if you waited and put ice on the injury or just rushed the child to the doctor)
Then DCFS says that since a report was called, they need to see all the children in the home (They have been known to pull the others out of school before coming to the parent) They need to "talk to the other children privately (DCFS reasoning is that children will not be truthful if an abuser is watching or listening).
Then they need to do a safety check of the home and need to see all areas of the home.
If you refuse, Then they want to know what you have to hide and will try to see a medical/drug evaluation on the parent.

Why do we need all of this DRAMA!

We need to let the doctors decide if any medical condition is abuse or neglect. They are the professionals that went to all of the schooling and took a pledge to protect life.
Who has given DCFS the right to be medical doctors?
If parents we're not concerned for their children, why would they go to the doctor in the first place?
Who has given DCFS the right to enter someone's home and search around?
Police can't even do this without a warrant with good cause and a specific reason.

DCFS and some elected officials have been given money, recognition and praise for breaking Civil Liberties and Human Rights.

We the Families that call ourselves Americans need to stand up for our Constitutional Rights and not allow these "doo-gooders" to profit from our children.

"President Clinton challenged the states to double the number of adoptions and permanent placements in five years. DCFS exceeded the President's challenge in just one year and received the national Adoption 2002 Excellence Award for increasing the number of permanent placements from 2,229 in Fiscal Year 1997 to 5,422 in Fiscal Year 1998, including 4,293 adoptions and 1,129 subsidized guardianships"
     http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/library/com_communications_pr.shtml

"Illinois is home to the nation's first juvenile court, counts itself as the birthplace of social work (Jane Addams' Hull House), was among the first states to establish child protection laws, was an early signatory to laws mandating the reporting of child abuse and neglect, and created one of the nation's first statewide child abuse hotlines."

"The department%u2019s budget grew at double-digit percentage rates every year between fiscal year 1989 and fiscal year 1997"

"Samuels, 36, has been working vigorously at assessing the needs of the agency over the last two months while serving as chair of the Governor's DCFS task force. He will be paid $127,600 to serve as the agency's new director."

"concern about a child%u2019s well-being or a fear of being accused of failing to report may lead mandated reporters to %u201Cerr on the side of caution%u201D, reporting incidents that may not meet the definition of abuse or neglect"
     A child age 5, falls off their bicycle. The parent takes them to the hospital and their arm is broken. A pretty green cast is put on for their friends to sign. Parents are relieved that it was only a broken arm.
    It that the end of the story - Maybe 20 years ago but not now.
    The hospital and doctor are mandated reporters as classified by DCFS. They face loosing their licensing, funding, job and criminal charges if they don't report it.
    The child is pulled out of their educational classes and questioned about the incident. This is the start of the investigative process. The child is asked: Where were your parents, How long have you been riding your bike, how far away from home were you, were you with any other adult.
    Then the questions change: Did you parent push you, You know you shouldn't have been out alone, You can tell us, you won't get in any trouble. Do your parents let you ride alone a lot, Were you trying to run away, Were your parents fighting, Do you feel safe at home.
OK you know the drill.
    Then the parent gets an allegation as determined by DCFS (NOT THE DOCTOR). Inadequate Supervision, Delay of medical treatment (depends on if you waited and put ice on the injury or just rushed the child to the doctor)
Then DCFS says that since a report was called, they need to see all the children in the home (They have been known to pull the others out of school before coming to the parent) They need to "talk to the other children privately (DCFS reasoning is that children will not be truthful if an abuser is watching or listening).
Then they need to do a safety check of the home and need to see all areas of the home.
If you refuse, Then they want to know what you have to hide and will try to see a medical/drug evaluation on the parent.

Why do we need all of this DRAMA!

We need to let the doctors decide if any medical condition is abuse or neglect. They are the professionals that went to all of the schooling and took a pledge to protect life.
Who has given DCFS the right to be medical doctors?
If parents we're not concerned for their children, why would they go to the doctor in the first place?
Who has given DCFS the right to enter someone's home and search around?
Police can't even do this without a warrant with good cause and a specific reason.

DCFS and some elected officials have been given money, recognition and praise for breaking Civil Liberties and Human Rights.

We the Families that call ourselves Americans need to stand up for our Constitutional Rights and not allow these "doo-gooders" to profit from our children.

We the undersigned are concerned with the corruption of our child protection agencies.

We ask that you uphold your Constitutional Affirmation to "support the Constitution as the Supreme Law Of The Land" We the undersigned are exercising our right under the Bill of Rights Amendment 1 to "petition the government for a redress of grievances".

We feel that financial gain is allowing these agencies to loose focus of what is best for the children. We feel that our Constitutional Rights and Amendments under the Bill of Rights are being violated due to personal judgments with no factual basis.

We are concerned with the violation of Amendment IV.

Child Welfare organizations are demanding to enter our private dwellings and search the inhabitants based on a "TIP" and not factual evidence. The investigators and Caseworkers within these agencies are not required to take an oath or affirmation to uphold the law, they are not required to obtain specific education courses to make judgments on the behalf of parents, families and children.

We are concerned with the misinterpretations of Amendment V.

Child Services investigate allegations based solely on one-sided telephone calls. Child abuse is a criminal offense and should be handled by law enforcement. By threats of indicated reports and children removal, these agencies coheres parents and caregivers to possibly incriminate themselves. Liberties are violated by demanding service plans with their agency. They have taken children into custody without due process of the law. Mothers have had their children taken away just after birth in the hospital based on past investigations and child removal. Parents are being deprived of life or said property by not allowing visitation with confiscated children. Parents are required to pay support to the agency for confiscating their children. Parents are required to pay for services that the agency deems necessary in order to have their children returned.

We are concerned with the disregard of Amendment VI.

Because Child Protection Agencies do not operate under the law, there may or may not be a criminal judgment made even though child abuse is considered a criminal offense. Parents are not allowed a trial or jury decision. All decisions are made by the said agency. Parents are denied the right to address the accusers as the agency claims a confidentiality procedure in ascertaining information. These agencies only rely on phone calls and do not fully discuss the events that led up to an investigation. Parents are denied the right to obtain witnesses in their favor of the decisions made against them. Parents must provide their own counsel for defense of the allegations. All decisions are made within the agency although child abuse is a criminal offense when proven beyond all other circumstances.

We are concerned with the abuse of Amendment VII.

Departments of Children and Families are by common law, considered government agencies for children%u2019s well-being. The value that parents place on their children is immeasurable. Parents should be allowed to a trial by jury and not tried by the agency itself.

We are disturbed with the actions against Amendment VIII.

Child Social Services uses one-sided information to make decisions that will effect an entire family. The set sometimes unobtainable requirements due to time and finances. Taking children away from parents without the facts on both sides of an argument creates emotional distress. Then requiring the parents to pay support and finance classes should be considered cruel and unusual punishment for a crime that hasn%u2019t yet been proven.

We are concerned with the actions under Amendment X.

Child Welfare Organizations receive Federal monies therefore should fall under the Constitution of the United States. These organizations and the decisions made within should not be left to the States. The States have accepted no responsibility for the actions of these organizations thereby allowing them the interpret laws to their benefit without repercussions to the agency.

We are upset over the States handling cases without regard to Amendment XIV.

The Child Service Agencies are being allowed to indicate persons for abuse and neglect, place names on a Central Register Compiled List of Child Abusers. They are allowed to make decisions concerning employment in the child care industry without a criminal conviction of abuse. The States are allowing these agencies to process criminal abuse claims without the Judicial System.

Congress has the power to limit or stop funding to agencies that do not follow this Amendment. These agencies are being allowed to make their own judgments in abuse and neglect cases without due process of the laws of the country. With the extra funding given to these agencies that are not required to follow the judicial protocol of the States, it is increasing the national debt that the taxpayers have to burden.

We are frustrated with the division of the States in regards to Article IV.

The Social Services in each State have adapted different rules pertaining to the removal of children, offenses of abuse and neglect, record keeping. Each State has different manuals containing different Rules and Procedures.

Child Protection Agencies are under the impression that they cannot be tried in a Civil Court of Law.

According to Rule 38 of the Civil Procedures, parents have the right to a jury as declared by the 7th Amendment to the Constitution.

We believe that the Mandated Reporter Program is an insult to professionals who by choice, swear to "respect the privacy of patients, for their problems are not disclosed to them that the world may know" (Hippocratic Oath).

We feel that birth defects should not be an open invitation for abuse and neglect allegations.

We feel that some childhood accidents occur and that it is undermining parental responsibilities to accuse parents and caregivers for trivial incidents of bicycle accidents.

We believe that animosity in hotline calls are an invitation for abuse of the system from abusers. By not allowing parents to confront the accusers, due process is denied.

We feel that questioning children without parental knowledge is a violation of Parental and Children%u2019s Rights.

We feel that children should not be pulled out of educational classes without first investigating allegations since they are based on a telephone call.

Specific to the States as to the acceptable age for latch-key children. The age of a child using a subsidy payment for child care should not be less that the acceptable age for latch-key children. This only burdens the parents financially when neglect charges for leaving children this age differs from the State and DCFS.

We would like the state/federal government to address all issues concerning DCFS and their interpretation of the law.

We are requesting a Civil Procedure Review of the Rules and Procedures set forth in the State Manuals for Abuse and Neglect.

By definition of:

Abuse, (Improper treatment, usage, misuse, perversion, bad purpose. Physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, unjust, corrupt, wrongful practice or custom, maltreatment, insulting) Liberties are endangered by the abuses of liberty as well as the abusers of power.

and

By definition of:

These Welfare Agencies feel that they have received the power from the States and Federal Government to perform abuse and neglect tactics without being prosecuted for the crime.

We feel that the State and Federal Government have neglected their duties to the people by allowing these Agencies to assume the power to make decisions without due process.

These Organizations were developed to protect children and families from domestic violence and abuse. These agencies have expanded and assumed authority to make medical, legal, psychological decisions within their state jurisdictions. Thereby committing the very abuse and neglect that they were set up to eliminate.

We, the undersigned, therefore respectfully request that you, our elected officials stop funding these agencies until a standardized Rule and Procedure Manual is developed that upholds the Constitution of the United States, it%u2019s laws and the Rights of Parents and Children.